STAT3 expression in gastric cancer indicates a poor prognosis

Background and Aim: Signal transducers and activators of transcription (STAT) behave as signal transducers in the cytoplasm and as transcription factors in the nucleus. In the current study, we analyzed the immunohistochemical staining patterns of gastrectomy tissue specimens. We investigated the expression of STAT3 and STAT5 and estimated the relationship between STAT and cancer prognosis. Methods: One hundred patients who underwent gastrectomy due to gastric adenocarcinoma at Bundang CHA hospital between January 2000 and May 2005 were studied. Immunohistochemistry was carried out using antibodies against STAT3 and STAT5. The interpretation of the immunohistochemical staining was based on the proportion of stained cells in the field: positive, > 10% stained cells; and negative